December 9, 2008: NASA's Hubble Space Telescope has discovered carbon dioxide in the atmosphere of a
planet orbiting another star. This is an important step along the trail of finding the chemical
biotracers of extraterrestrial life as we know it.

The Jupiter-sized planet, called HD 189733b, is too hot for life. But the Hubble observations
are a proof-of-concept demonstration that the basic chemistry for life can be measured on
planets orbiting other stars. Organic compounds can also be a by-product of life processes,
and their detection on an Earth-like planet may someday provide the first evidence of life
beyond Earth.